Feasibility Study and Resource Mobilization Strategy for ATTP Endowment Fund — African Union Project

AFRICAN UNION

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UNION AFRICAINE

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UNIÃO AFRICANA

UMOJA WA AFRIKA

UNIÓN AFRICANA

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

(CONSULTING SERVICES – FIRMS SELECTION)

Name of the Project: THE AFRICA THINK-TANK-PLATFORM (ATTP) PROJECT

Grant No: P180117

Assignment Title: Selection of a Consulting Firm to conduct a Feasibility study for the Endowment Fund and Designing a Resource Mobilization Strategy for the Africa Think Tank Platform Endowment Fund

Procurement Ref: ET-AUC- 494958-CS-QCBS

The Africa Union Commission has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Africa Think-Tank-Platform (ATTP) Project and intends to apply part of the proceeds for consulting services.

The consulting services (“the Services”) include Consultancy service to conduct a Feasibility study for the Endowment Fund and Designing a Resource Mobilization Strategy for the Africa Think Tank Platform Endowment Fund

The Terms of Reference (TOR) for the assignment is attached to this request for expressions of interest.

The African Union Commission now invites eligible consulting firms (“Consultants”) to submit their interest in providing the Services. Interested Consultants should provide information demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform the Services.

THE SHORTLISTING CRITERIA ARE:

• Firm’s core business

• Firm’s years of general business experience

• Relevant similar experience of the firm in the assignment

• Technical and managerial capability of the firm

Key Experts will not be evaluated at the shortlisting stage.

The attention of interested Consultants is drawn to Section III, paragraphs, 3.14, 3.16, and 3.17 of the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016 updated in November 2020. Procurement will also comply with “Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants” revised as of July 1, 2016.

Consultants may associate with other firms to enhance their qualifications but should indicate clearly whether the association is in the form of a joint venture and/or a sub-consultancy. In the case of a joint venture, all the partners in the joint venture shall be jointly and severally liable for the entire contract, if selected.

The selection method is Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) as set out in the Procurement Regulations.

Further information can be obtained at the address below during office hours i.e. 0900 to 1700 hours.

Expressions of interest must be delivered in a written form to the address below (in person, or by mail, or by e-mail) by 15 May 2026

African Union Commission,

Attn: Head of Supply Chain Management Division

Building C, 3rd Floor,

P.O Box 3243, Roosevelt Street

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tel: +251 (0) 11 551 7700 – Ext 4305

Fax: +251 (0) 11 551 0442; +251 11-551-0430

E-mails: [email protected].

THE AFRICA THINK-TANK-PLATFORM (ATTP) PROJECT

Selection of a Consulting Firm to conduct a Feasibility study for the Endowment Fund and Designing a Resource Mobilisation Strategy for the Africa Think Tank Platform Endowment Fund

Procurement Reference No.ET-AUC- 494958-CS-QCBS

TERMS OF REFERENCE

• Introduction

1.1 Background

The Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP) project is a strategic initiative designed to enhance the capacity and influence of think tanks across Africa. With a five-year, US$50 million Investment Project Financing (IPF) initiative, the ATTP project aims to create a sustainable platform for cooperation and harmonisation on regional policy issues among country-level policymakers, regional blocs, and think tanks across the continent.

The project focuses on six key priority themes: economic transformation and governance, climate change, regional trade, food security, human capital, and digitalisation, which align with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the World Bank's Africa Strategy, and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Gender inclusivity remains a central aspect of the project’s design.

The African Union Commission (AUC), with funding from the World Bank, is establishing the Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP). The aim of this consultancy assignment is to conduct a Feasibility Study and design a Resource Mobilisation Strategy for the ATTP endowment fund.

Selection will follow Quality-and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) under the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers. Firms must comply with the World Bank’s Anti-Corruption Guidelines, including prohibitions on fraud, corruption, collusion, coercion, and obstruction. The African Union Commission (AUC) reserves the right to verify references, conduct due diligence, and perform sanctions checks. Firms from all eligible countries, in accordance with the Procurement Regulations, are invited to participate. Firms, individuals, or entities subject to applicable World Bank sanctions are ineligible. Conflicts of interest must be fully disclosed in proposals in accordance with the Procurement Regulations. Undisclosed conflicts of interest may result in disqualification or contract termination.

The AUC, therefore, invites proposals from qualified and legally registered Consulting Firms. Proposals may be submitted by a single entity or by a consortium/joint venture of firms, provided they collectively meet the minimum qualifications stipulated in this TOR.

1.2 The ATTP Project Development Objective

The ATTP project's development objective is to establish a sustainable platform that strengthens the capacity for effective policy research and policymaking on cross-border priorities in Africa.

​​​​​​​1.3 The ATTP Project Components

The ATTP project will be implemented through three main components as follows:

​​​​​​​ Component 1: Establish Capacity to Operate A Sustainable Policy-Making Platform

This component focuses on establishing the capacity to operate a sustainable policy-making platform. The goal is to support knowledge generation and offer guidance on continental priority issues, thereby strengthening the platform's role in regional economic policymaking.

Think Tanks selected under ATTP will collaborate with relevant Specialised Technical Committees (STCs)[1] at the African Union, fostering a network of researchers and policymakers. The resources under this Component will be utilised to finance the following Tasks:

• Establishing a secretariat to manage the platform

• Establishing and maintaining the Think Tank Platform Steering Committee (TTPSC), including its meetings

• Designing and implementing monitoring and evaluation (M&E) strategies for the platform

• Establishing mechanisms to draw and learn from lessons during implementation

• Building and maintaining a network of think tanks, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and policymakers

• Organising meetings of African governments, RECs, and other partners to identify and discuss regional policy challenge​​​​​​​

Component 2: Strengthen Policy Research's Quality, Relevance, and Uptake on Priority Issues

This component focuses on strengthening the capacity of think tanks and policy research institutions. This includes providing technical assistance and training to think tanks; supporting the quality and dissemination of research; facilitating resource mobilisation; establishing a peer network for female economic researchers; and conducting a study to analyse prior initiatives aimed at increasing female participation in policy research. The resources under this Component will be utilised to finance the following Tasks:

• Create and maintain a database of African and global think tanks, including information on the number of female professionals.

• Organise knowledge exchange events, such as regional conferences and forums, to align policy researchers and policymakers on policy needs and promote uptake and adoption

• Facilitate fellowships or secondment programs between governments and think tanks to enhance research skills and narrow the research-policy gap, supporting both government and think tank capacities

• Provide training and capacity building for policymakers, civil society, and other stakeholders to develop their research and analytical capabilities

• Create and maintain an online Africa Knowledge Repository of existing policy research, including data on research outputs with female authors.

• Finance high-quality research on priority issues and support think tanks' capacity building to provide a knowledge and evidence base for regional policy making and engagement.

​​​​​​​ Component 3: Support Platform Sustainability

This Component will support the design and establishment of a sustainable financing mechanism to resource African think tanks over the long term. The platform will be structured to mobilise, pool, and deploy resources from African governments, the private sector, foundations, individuals, diaspora philanthropy, and institutional donors. It will consider an endowment fund and other complementary instruments (for example, a pooled special fund, multi-year partnership windows, fee-for-service and membership models, blended finance structures, and other context-appropriate mechanisms) to ensure resilient, diversified financing beyond the life of the ATTP project. The resources under this Component will be utilised to finance the following Tasks.

• Defining the platform's purpose, scope and governance framework

• Develop and implement a resource mobilisation and financing strategy

• Capitalisation of the Endowment Fund once established

The primary objective of this Component is to ensure that the ATTP extends beyond the traditional five-year project cycle in international development financing. Consequently, the feasibility study requested under these TORs must not only assess and compare potential financing mechanisms, but it must also recommend a coherent platf